Improved bobbin mounting arrangement



Feb. 12, 1963 w. A. SMITH ETAL 3,077,070

IMPROVED BOBBIN MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Filed May 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS WA ER A. ITH

ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1963 w. A. SMITH EI'AL 3, 7

' IMPROVED BOBBIN MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Filed May 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WALTER A. SMITH WILLIAM J. SCHRODER ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,077,070 IMPROVED BOBIEIN MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Waiter A. Smith, Inman, andWiliiam J. Schroder, Spartanburg, S.C., assignors to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, Spartanburg, S.., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 12, 1960, Ser. No. 28,679 3 Claims. (Cl. 57- 130) This invention relates to a bobbin mounting arrangement for mounting and dismounting a bobbin, and particularly a straight tube type bobbin.

In the art of winding yarn onto bobbins and removing the full bobbin packages from the spindle on which they are mounted for winding it is highly desirable that the bobbin be securely held on the Spindle mounting during rotation of the spindle mounting assembly and bobbin for winding of yarn onto the bobbin, while also permititng ease of removal of the full bobbin package from the spindle mounting assembly at the conclusion of winding of the yarn and without damage to the yarn or the yarn package surface. It is therefore highly desirable that the spindle mounting arrangement and method of mounting and removal of the bobbin be such that the bobbin will be firmly held when in mounted position, yet will be readily removable without requiring the grasping of the yarn package per se by the operator even though the yarn package extends substantially to the upper and lower ends of the bobbin. A major feature of this invention is the provision of an improved bobbin mounting arrangement which permits the achievement of these desirable ends.

Still further objects, features, and attendant advantages will become apparentto those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred physical embodiment constructed according to the invention, and further illustrating the method of mounting and removal of a bobbin. In the drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention with a bobbin in place on the spindle mounting assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a section view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial view in perspective of the base portion of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrating the initial step in the removal of a full bobbin package according to the method of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a further view similar to FIGURE 4 and illustrating a further sequential portion of the removal operation.

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view of the arrangement with the bobbin package being partially broken away and showing the final step in the removal of the bobbin package from the spindle mounting assembly, wherein the full bobbin package is raised up to a point where the operator can and is grasping the upper interior and exterior of the bobbin above the upper end of the yarn package per se in order to permit full removal of the bobbin package from the spindle mounting assembly.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing, in the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings, a lower end bobbin adaptor 11 is mounted as by one or more set screws 13 on a conventional down-twister takeup spindle arrangement including a whorl 15, spindle blade 17 and key 19. The lower end adaptor 11 is preferably of conical or frusto-conical configuration in order to permit ease of mounting of a hollow straight cylindrical bobbin tube B thereon, and is further so constructed as to engage the lower end portion of the bobbin interior in driving relation. In the preferred embodiment this drive 3,b7'1,7 Patented Feb. 12., 1963 mounting connection to the bobbin forms an effectively serrated resilient surface and takes the form of an an nular spiral spring 21 fitted in an annular groove 23 about the lower end portion of the base adaptor 11. The spring 21 may be further secured in position in the groove by a wire band 22 extending through the coils of the spring 21 and twisted or otherwise connected together at its ends as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, or by a spring band likewise extending through the coils of the spiral spring 21. As will be noted from FIGURES 2 and 3, the spiral spring extends radially outward slightly beyond the adjacent periphery of the body portion of the base adaptor 11.

In order to conform to the conventional key 19 of the spindle and whorl, the lower body portion of the base adaptor 1'1 has formed therein a complementary slot 25, which also serves, together with the key 19, as a positive drive connection in the event that the set screw or Screws 13 should loosen.

The upper end of the cylindrical bobbin tube B is supported by an extension adaptor 27 which has a bore 29 in its lower end complementary to the upper end of the spindle blade 17. The extension adaptor is preferably secured to the spindle blade 17 through the medium of a set screw or screws 31, although such may be force fit or otherwise fixed thereon if desired.

The upper end 27a of the extension adaptor 27 is enlarged and has a generally tapered or frusto-conical peripheral configuration, a midsection of which conforms in circumference to the interior periphery of the lip B at the upper end of the bobbin B when the bobbin is seated with the peripheral lip disposed slightly below the upper end surface of the frusto-conical enlarged portion 27a of the extension adaptor 27. The tapered configuration of this frusto-conical end portion 27a serves to guide the bobbin lip into seated position, and of most importance to establish the desired seated position level or height of the bobbin on the spindle for winding of yarn thereonto and for practice of the method of loosening and removal of the bobbin as described hereinafter.

It will thus be seen that while the spiral spring 21 serves as a primary drive for the bobbin B there is also some drive torque imparted to the bobbin between the frustoconical end adaptor surface and the lip B of the bobbin at the upper end thereof.

The bobbin is placed onto the spindle mounting assembly by sliding such downwardly over and onto the spindle mounting assembly. The arrangement is so constructed as to permit an improved and highly useful method of loosening and removal of the full bobbin package from the mounting assembly without the necessity of the operator grasping the periphery of the full bobbin package, even though the bobbin package extends to a position adjacent both the upper and lower ends of the bobbin tube B. To this end, the tapered or upper frusto-conical end portion 27a of the extension adaptor 27 has formed therein one or more slots 33, which preferably have a concavely curved base surface 33a extending at an angle to the axis of rotation of the spindle mounting assembly. The lower end of these slots 33:: extends beneath the normal seated position of the lower portion of the lip B, as shown in FIGURE 2, in order to permit a hand held hook H to be inserted therebetween as shown in FIGURE 4. The hook is preferably of substantially thin cross-section at its end portion H and round at this end in order to prevent puncturing of the bobbin tube B during the dismounting operation. By exerting an upward leverage force on the handle portion H of the hook the operator may thus effect a substantial loosening and raising of the bobbin and yarn package thereon as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 to a position (FIGURE 6) where the operator may insert his finger within the inner periphery of the lip B and grasp the package between his finger and thumb in order to remove the bobbin and package from the bobbin mounting assembly. It will thus be seen that the curved portion H of the hook serves in conjunction with the base surface 33a of the slot 33 as a sliding fulcrum for a modified second-order lever action.

Upon reaching the position as shown in FEGURE 6 the operator may either remove the freed full bobbin from the bobbin mounting assembly by lifting the bobbin with the hook H alone, and subsequently assisting this action with the other free hand by grasping the upper or lower exposed end of the bobbin and completing the removal and disposal of the full bobbin, or he may remove the hook H and thereupon readily remove the full bobbin with its yarn package thereon from the spindle mounting assembly by manually raising the bobbin and bobbin package with one hand grasping the upper lip B of the bobbin, and optionally also lifting and guiding the lower exposed end of the bobbin with the other hand as may be necessary or desired. The bobbin mounting assembly is thereupon in readiness for the mounting of a new empty bobbin B thereon and the winding of a yarn package onto the new bobbin.

While the invention has been described with respect to a single preferred embodiment constructed according thereto, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustration of the invention as disclosed and described herein, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising a whorl, a spindle blade connected to and rotatable with said whorl, a tapered base end adaptor secured to said spindle adjacent said whorl and having an annular external groove formed in the periphery thereof, a substantial annularly extending spiral spring disposed in said groove and extending radially out beyond the peripheral portion of said base end adaptor, an outer end adaptor having an axial bore therein and fitting over the free outer end of said spindle blade, means securing said outer end adaptor to said spindle blade, said outer end adaptor having a frusto-conical tapered configuration with at least one transverse slot formed at the tapered peripheral surface thereof, said slot having a concave bottom surface inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of said whorl and spindle blade, at bobbin having an annular inwardly extending lip formed at one end thereof, said bobbin being seated over and on said spiral spring at the opposite end thereof and in seated engagement with said outer end adaptor at said one end thereof, said lip being disposed between the ends of said slot.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bobbin is a hollow straight cylindrical paper tube.

3. Apparatus comprising a whorl, a spindle blade connected to and rotatable with said whorl, a tapered base end adaptor secured to said spindle blade adjacent said whorl and having resilient means thereon for resilient gripping engagement with the base interior end of a hollow bobbin, an outer end adaptor having an axial bore therein and fitting over the free outer end of said spindle blade, means securing said outer end adaptor to said spindle blade, said outer end adaptor having a frustoconical tapered configuration with at least one transverse slot formed at the tapered peripheral surface thereof, said slot having a concave bottom surface inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of said whorl and spindle blade, a bobbin having an annular inwardly extending lip formed at one end thereof, said bobbin being seated over and on said resilient means at the opposite end thereof and in seated engagement With said outer end adaptor at said one end thereof, said lip being disposed between the ends of said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,042,968 Siegenthaler June 2, 1936 2,417,525 Smith Mar. 18, 1947 2,471,816 Hamrn May 31, 1949 2,639,576 Bay May 26, 1953 2,746,689 Berkepeis May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 818,647 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1959 152,212 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1932 

1. APPARATUS COMPRISING A WHORL, A SPINDLE BLADE CONNECTED TO AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID WHORL, A TAPERED BASE END ADAPTOR SECURED TO SAID SPINDLE ADJACENT SAID WHORL AND HAVING AN ANNULAR EXTERNAL GROOVE FORMED IN THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, A SUBSTANTIAL ANNULARLY EXTENDING SPIRAL SPRING DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUT BEYOND THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID BASE END ADAPTOR, AN OUTER END ADAPTOR HAVING AN AXIAL BORE THEREIN AND FITTING OVER THE FREE OUTER END OF SAID SPINDLE BLADE, MEANS SECURING SAID OUTER END ADAPTOR TO SAID SPINDLE BLADE, SAID OUTER END ADAPTOR HAVING A FRUSTO-CONICAL TAPERED CONFIGURATION WITH AT LEAST ONE TRANSVERSE SLOT FORMED AT THE TAPERED PERIPHERAL SURFACE THEREOF, SAID SLOT HAVING A CONCAVE BOTTOM SURFACE INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID WHORL AND SPINDLE BLADE, A BOBBIN HAVING AN ANNULAR INWARDLY EXTENDING LIP FORMED 